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Rhone Tasting with a focus on Jamet Cote Rotie
Clifton, Cape Town
Tasted August 8, 2011 by rikipedia with 61 views
Introduction
Although 280 hectares are classified, Cote Rotie has 256 hectares planted. The Cote Blond is south-facing and is part of a triangle of vineyards where the soils are decomposed granite. The plateau at the top is more for growing vegetables (excellent potatoes), but growers have started planting grapes as climate change has begun to bite. ASL: 100-220 m
Jamet doesn't destem (except for in 1993). He looks for optimal ripeness by picking later. Jamet's vineyards are all planted at higher altitudes. His average yield is 30-40hl/ha (6 tons/ha.) He aged his wines for two years in barrel, of which 15% is new oak. There is no fining or filtration. He believes that eschewing this, it gives more texture. From his production, he keeps 25% of the cellar back.
Flight 1 - Introduction wines (2 notes)
White
2005 Château Curson Crozes-Hermitage Blanc
87 points
60% Marsanne / 40% Rousanne, the wine is gently perfumed with aromas of lemon, smoke (smoked lemons), yellow peach, white pepper, and oak spices. Medium-bodied, the palate is broad with medium+ with minerally acidity, fair intensity and medium length.
Not the most complex wine, but the oak is still present. Pleasantly enjoyable.
Not the most complex wine, but the oak is still present. Pleasantly enjoyable.
White
2007 Domaine Newman Côte de Beaune La Grande Chatelaine
86 points
Relatively limited note on this wine but the nose was struck match and SO2 with a touch of peach blossom and oak spice. Quite an open-knit wine, this was easy-going Burgundy.
Flight 2 - 2004-2007 Jamet Cote Rotie (4 notes)
Red
2007 Domaine Jamet Côte-Rôtie
91 points
An initial pong blew off to reveal an intriguing mix of dried earth, pottery clay, olive tapenade, roasted herbs and stems.
A strident acid on entry accented by the stems gives a crunchy, crisp freshness. The funky notes returned, yet underneath, there were gobs of fruit, almost carbonic maceration, certainly ripe and no green elements anywhere. The finish is long with juicy nettles sap and firm tannins. Certainly different!
A strident acid on entry accented by the stems gives a crunchy, crisp freshness. The funky notes returned, yet underneath, there were gobs of fruit, almost carbonic maceration, certainly ripe and no green elements anywhere. The finish is long with juicy nettles sap and firm tannins. Certainly different!
Red
2006 Domaine Jamet Côte-Rôtie
87 points
20 parcels, of which 15 are in different locations: Fongeant, Côte Blonde, Landonne, Côte Rozier, Plomb, Chavaroche, Moutonnes, Lésardes, Gerine, Truchet, Leyat, Bonnivières, Côte Bodin, Tartaras, Rochins. The nose is fresh with red and black fruits, tilled soil, and wet stones. Some tertiary evolution was also noted. The entry is medium-bodied with lots of black olives, dried olive, nettle sap, roasted topside, ripe blackcurrant and blackberry, and a gentle ferruginous quality from its aged format. Lacks a little weight in the mid-palate, the tannins are firm and narrow, and a touch of lively acid keeps the wine going. It feels a tad lean and herbaceous, given the warmer year.
Red
2005 Domaine Jamet Côte-Rôtie
89 points
Again some pong and barnyard, the aromas also include minerals, dried herbs, dried earth and black olive.
Fresh and vibrant on entry, the fruit is ripe and felt richer than the 2006. A smooth texture with plenty of blackberries, black cherry, violet, tapenade or dried olive; however, the wine feels a little soupy and a touch volatile. Medium to long finish, the tannins are fine, and the wine juicy. Didn’t feel the class of a Cote Rotie.
Fresh and vibrant on entry, the fruit is ripe and felt richer than the 2006. A smooth texture with plenty of blackberries, black cherry, violet, tapenade or dried olive; however, the wine feels a little soupy and a touch volatile. Medium to long finish, the tannins are fine, and the wine juicy. Didn’t feel the class of a Cote Rotie.
Red
2004 Domaine Jamet Côte-Rôtie
88 points
Somewhat closed at first, the wine opens slowly with cold, damp earth, black cherry and some cracked pepper, along with the trademark black olive.
Rather sharp on the entry the wine eels lean and chalky with a crunchy strident acidity accentuated by the stems - a bit rustic. Somewhat herbal but also grassy, nettle and crunchy frozen fruits with tapenade and roasted topside. Undoubtedly refreshing, there has a peppery note on the medium to long finish.
Rather sharp on the entry the wine eels lean and chalky with a crunchy strident acidity accentuated by the stems - a bit rustic. Somewhat herbal but also grassy, nettle and crunchy frozen fruits with tapenade and roasted topside. Undoubtedly refreshing, there has a peppery note on the medium to long finish.
Flight 3 - 1990 - 1998 Jamet Cote Rotie (4 notes)
Red
1998 Domaine Jamet Côte-Rôtie
93 points
A funky nose, Sauvage with clear tertiary elements. Gamey, forest floor, stones, mushrooms, vegetal and mineral all revealing a more than appealling bouquet. A soft, rich entry, the aromas deliver hung game, smoke and dried herbs (mainly sage and rosemary) along with green nettles and bags of black peppercorns. Athletic, there is no fat on this; the wine has a narrow pulsating acidity, somewhat gravelly tannins and a good mid-palate depth. Full-bodied with more rib-eye steak than topside, there are hints of dried black fruits and arguably a coarser texture towards the back palate - reasonably extracted. Yet the wine is long and a good example of Cote Rotie.
Red
1997 Domaine Jamet Côte-Rôtie
92 points
This vintage shows the cleanest nose of all and seem less developed in glass. Rather attractive bouquet of ash/smoke, tobacco, violets, white pepper, coffee grinds and roasted meat along with the stemmy notes of Jamet. There is almost a wet plaster smell - not as unpleasant as it sounds!
Medium bodied, this elegant wine is clearly savoury with hung game and marmite notes and enough acidity to keep the wine fresh but the tannins are all integrated so is drinking wonderfully right now.
Medium bodied, this elegant wine is clearly savoury with hung game and marmite notes and enough acidity to keep the wine fresh but the tannins are all integrated so is drinking wonderfully right now.
Red
1995 Domaine Jamet Côte-Rôtie
91 points
Intense nose with surprisingly youth showing black berried fruits, oak spices, sprinkle of light pepper and spices.
A sweet entry, this full-bodied wine is slightly volatile, richly textured and deeply concentrated. Soft and juicy the wine has an initial soupy-ness with some wood smoke and cassis elements. It seemed different to the others, bigger and more extracted and the finish whilst long had a sourness to it (possibly the VA creeping in).
A sweet entry, this full-bodied wine is slightly volatile, richly textured and deeply concentrated. Soft and juicy the wine has an initial soupy-ness with some wood smoke and cassis elements. It seemed different to the others, bigger and more extracted and the finish whilst long had a sourness to it (possibly the VA creeping in).
Red
1990 Domaine Jamet Côte-Rôtie
95 points
Tertiary bouquet delivering truffle, portebellina mushroom, stems, iodine and plenty of black pepper. Lovely development there is a bit of funk and tilled soil to add a Sauvage angle.
Complex wine with fresh chalky acidity edged with mineral, the wine shows plenty of development but the tannins whilst resolved add a gentle frame to the back-palate. Solid wine, pepper joins roasted meat and black olive on the long finish. Excellent wine!
Complex wine with fresh chalky acidity edged with mineral, the wine shows plenty of development but the tannins whilst resolved add a gentle frame to the back-palate. Solid wine, pepper joins roasted meat and black olive on the long finish. Excellent wine!
Flight 4 - Another Hermitage and something to finish off with! (2 notes)
Red
1996 Alain Graillot Hermitage
89 points
Pretty aromas of games, forest floor and mineral. Hints of ripe black fruits underscored by a lively acidity and firm but building tannins. Felt a little bitter as the wine opened.
White - Off-dry
2005 Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese
90 points
Attractive lemon and lime notes, the entry is smooth with energetic acidity, glassy texture and wonderfully ripe fruits. Richness, with RS, the wine still remains elegant. Some honey creeping in but surprisingly light on its feet.